Florida woman missing at sea: FBI, Coast Guard investigating

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Florida woman missing at sea: FBI, Coast Guard investigating

FLORIDA — The FBI has joined the investigation into the disappearance of a woman whose husband said he last saw her hours before he was rescued from a life raft in the Florida Straits, Coast Guard spokesman Jonathan Lally said.

Isabella Hellman was reported missing early on May 15 after the Coast Guard received a distress call from her husband, Lewis Bennett.

He said their 37-foot catamaran hit something while he was asleep and was taking on water. He was abandoning the vessel but couldn’t find his wife, the Coast Guard said he told them.

The Coast Guard searched for Hellman, a 41-year-old real estate agent from Delray Beach, for three days.

According to CNN affiliate WPTV, Bennett said he was going to Cuba this week to rent a boat and search for Hellman.

Bennett told the Coast Guard he last saw his wife May 14 at 8 p.m., about five hours before Bennett’s SOS call.